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It Can't Hurt To Wait? Can It?

by The Hat Team

It’s been said that more money has been lost due to indecision than was ever lost because of a bad decision. Regardless of whether you agree with the statement, delaying the decision to buy in today’s market is going to cost the buyer more. 

waitHome prices have gone up considerably in almost every market in the country in the past year and while inventories are beginning to grow, prices are expected to continue to rise. Mortgage rates jumped 1% from the beginning of May to now. They could easily reach 5% by the end of the year and continue to rise in 2014.

Many of the financial experts in the country believe that the economy will not be strong until rates are in the 7% area.

The two components that move the cost of housing are price and mortgage rates. Escalation of either one will have an affect but when both are going up simultaneously, it is dramatic. It can literally eliminate buyers who could have purchased earlier.

The following example shows what would happen to the payments on a $200,000 home if the price were to go up 3% at the same time that the mortgage rates went up 1%. Not only would the payments go up by $150.81 per month, the price of the home would be $6,000 more. Even though the down payment may not change much, the new owner would have to borrow more money. By not acting, it is costing them more in price and payment. The loss of the appreciation would have been equity had they purchased prior to the rise in price.

Check out the Cost of Waiting to Buy to see what the effect will be using your own projections.

cost to wait

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Montgomery AL Real Estate: 3547 Southmont Dr

by The Hat Team

Montgomery AL Real Estate:

3547 Southmont Dr, Montgomery AL 36105
MLS# 303136

Opportunity To Score A Bargain!


3547 southmont dr montgomery al

Perfect opportunity to score a bargain and stop paying rent. This home has been loved by the same owner for the past 38 years. There's plenty of living space to spread out, a huge backyard for the kids to play in and a two car garage that has been converted to a workshop for all your tools or just use for storage. This is a lot of house for the money, come see for yourself today.

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Montgomery AL Home For Sale: 3215 Wellington Rd

by The Hat Team

Montgomery AL Home For Sale:

3215 Wellington Rd, Montgomery AL 36106
MLS# 303147

Cape Cod Comes To Cloverdale-Idlewild!

3215 Wellington Rd Montgomery AL

Here is an incredible deal in Cloverdale-Idlewild! This unique cottage reminds you more of a house on Cape Cod than a Cloverdale bungalow. There is tons of room to spread out. The whole family (and all of your friends) can hang out in the heart of the house - the kitchen! This one's huge and just needs a little cosmetic updating to make it your own. Everything else just needs some paint. The spacious master downstairs has a back stairway to the second most awesome feature - the upstairs laundry room. The kids will love the big backyard and it's an easy street to ride bikes in. Close to almost everything: restaurants, shops, theaters and parks. Check it out for yourself today!

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Trends - June 2013

by The Hat Team

In June, the number of properties that received a foreclosure filing in Montgomery, AL was 66% lower than the previous month and 54% lower than the same time last year, according to RealtyTrac.com.

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Activity and 30 Year Interest Rate

montgomery al foreclosure


Foreclosure activity is based on the total number of properties that receive foreclosure filings – default notice, foreclosure auction notice or bank repossession – each month. Interest rate is based on the average 30-year fixed rate from Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey.

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Geographical Comparison

Montgomery AL foreclosure activity was 0.05% lower than national statistics, 0.01% higher than Alabama and the same as Montgomery County statistics in June 2013.

montgomery al foreclosure

Montgomery AL Foreclosure Activity by Month

The number of Bank-Owned properties declines 75.0% compared to May and decreased 28.6% compared to June 2012. The number of Auctions decreased 44.2% compared to May and 66.2% from June 2012.

montgomery al foreclosure

Are you or someone you know behind on mortgage payments and facing a Montgomery foreclosure? You do have options. A short sale may be the answer to saving you, your family and your home. I am a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) with specialized training in helping families avoid foreclosure. Give me a call for a private consultation.

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home. Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Midtown Montgomery Real Estate Market Trends - July 2013

by The Hat Team

New data on Americans’ rising net worth is good news for the economy. Figures from the National Association of Realtors® show household net worth has completely bounced back from the recession and reached a new peak of over $70 trillion in the first quarter of 2013. Midtown Montgomery stats improved too. During the recession, household and non-profit net worth dropped by more than $15 trillion.

So what is fueling the increase? NAR research points to recovering home and stock prices and a reduction in debt as the driving forces. Real estate accounts for $18 trillion of the $83 trillion in household assets, and owner’s equity in household real estate is $9 trillion of the $70 trillion in net worth. Find out what your home is worth.

Take a look at sales figures in our local real estate market for June 2013.

Midtown Montgomery real estate sales statistics for June 2013 show the number of homes sold were the same when compared to June 2012. The average sales price increased by 28% to $151,562 for the month. The median sales prices increased by 17%, and market times decreased by 3 days from June 2012.  The highest selling home price increased by 31%, and the lowest selling home price decreased by 9% from June 2012.

Midtown Montgomery June  2013 June 2012
Homes Sold 35 35
Average Selling Price $ 151,562 $ 109,062
Median Selling Price $ 85,000 $ 71,000
Days On The Market 121 124
Highest Selling Price $ 600,000 $ 415,000
Lowest Selling Price $ 9,100 $ 10,000

For the latest Midtown Montgomery real estate market conditions in your area, please call me at 800-HAT-LADY or visit HomesForSaleInMontgomeryAlabama.com.

Information is provided by the Montgomery Area Association of Realtors and is deemed accurate but not guaranteed.

Retirement Without a Mortgage

by The Hat Team

time to retirePlanning for retirement is obviously important and many times, an activity plagued by procrastination. Some people plan to have their home paid for by that magical date so they won’t have payments after they retire. It makes sense to eliminate a large recurring expense before they quit working.

One strategy would be to be make regular principal contributions in addition to the payments so that it will eliminate the debt by the target retirement date.

Let’s say that a homeowner refinanced their $200,000 mortgage at 4% last year with the first payment due on May 1, 2012. Under normal amortization, the home would be paid for at the end of the term; 30 years in this example.

By making additional principal contributions with each payment, it would accelerate the payoff on the home. An extra $250.00 a month would pay off the mortgage in 20 years. $524.55 extra with each payment would pay off the loan in 15 years; and $796.23 would pay off the loan in 12 years.

Having a home paid for at retirement has the obvious benefit of no house payment. It is also a substantial asset that could be borrowed against or sold if unanticipated events should occur.

Another strategy might involve purchasing a smaller home now to use as a rental that you intend to live in when you retire; see Retirement Home Now.

To make some projections to pay off your own mortgage, use this Equity Accelerator.

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Montgomery AL Home For Sale: 1434 S Perry St

by The Hat Team

Montgomery AL Home For Sale:

1434 S Perry St, Montgomery AL 36104
MLS# 302866

Grand Lady In the Garden District!


If you want to live large in one of the grandest homes in the historic Garden District, here is your chance! This magnificent Georgian sits elegantly on a double lot and feels like your own private estate. Entertain like royalty in the oversized living and dining rooms, or relax in the cavernous sunroom overlooking the expansive manicured grounds. Even the bedrooms are fit for high lifestyle with 12 ft ceilings and full length windows. Plenty of parking for you and your guests...and there is even a WORKING ELEVATOR to take you from the ground floor all the way to the 3rd floor! This home has been loved by a prominent Montgomery family for over 40 years...and now it is YOUR turn to carry on such pride in ownership.

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Montgomery AL Condo For Sale: 1827 Ridge Ave #5

by The Hat Team

Montgomery AL Condo For Sale:

1827 Ridge Ave #5, Montgomery AL 36104
MLS# 302758

Great Condo In Old Cloverdale!

1824 Ridge Ave Montgomery AL
Great condo in the heart of Old Cloverdale! Whether you are a first time home buyer, wanting to downsize or looking for a "lock and leave", this lovely property is about the most affordable thing you will find in the neighborhood! The living room overlooks a beautiful private courtyard and the bedroom suite is spacious and even has a walk-in closet. This downstairs unit has everything you need, come check it out!

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Federal Help for Troubled Real Estate Owners

by The Hat Team

Although the outlook for the housing industry has improved in recent months, far too many owners who recently received the assessments on their Montgomery AL real estate learned that their mortgages are (still) underwater. 

helpThe federal government has six programs, some older, some recently revised, and one brand new, specifically for those in jeopardy of losing their homes.  Listed below are the “barebones” of each one and some sites at which to garner further information:

  • HAMP Tier 1 and Tier 2 - The Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP) has been extended through 2013 and expanded to help more homeowners. HAMP Tier 2 is now an option for homeowners who want to modify a home that is not their primary residence, did not previously qualify for modification, or who defaulted on a HAMP plan in the past.
  • Home Affordable Foreclosure Alternatives (HAFA) Updates – This program is designed to help homeowners not backed by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac transition to more affordable housing. HAFA provides two options: a short sale or a Deed-in-Lieu for foreclosure.
  • Independent Foreclosure Review Alternative Settlement - In January thirteen servicers/lenders reached an agreement with federal regulators to pay more than $8.8 billion in cash payments and other assistance to help borrowers.  More than 3.9 million borrowers, whose homes were in foreclosure in 2009 and 2010, are expected to receive cash compensation in a timely manner.
  • Fannie Mae Refinancing Incentive - Fannie Mae announced in January that lenders will be allowed to offer a refinancing incentive for Montgomery AL real estate which would be used to obtain a lower payment or move to a more stable mortgage product.  Click here for details.
  • Hardest Hit Funds - In 2007 the Federal government allocated Hardest Hit Funds to 18 states and the District of Columbia to help homeowners who are unemployed or underemployed. Many of the states have recently made program changes to help more homeowners.  States have until the end of 2017 to utilize the funds allocated through this program. To find out more regarding specific Hardest Hit Fund programs in your state, contact the Housing Finance Agency,
  • The federal government recently announced a new loan-modification program (for Fannie and Freddie-backed mortgages) requiring no documentation of income or financial hardship. Launched by the Federal Housing Finance Agency, the program went into effect July 1, 2013.

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Montgomery AL Home For Sale: 1309 S McDonough St

by The Hat Team

Montgomery AL Home For Sale:

1309 S McDonough St, Montgomery AL 36104
MLS# 302446

Super Garden District Cottage!

1309 s mcdonough st montgomery al
Great 1920,s cottage in the heart of the Garden District. Features nice living-dining space with hardwood floors, heavy plaster walls, barrel ceiling, fireplace, and neat alcove off living room with built in book cases. Kitchen is very functional and has separate laundry attached. Huge pantry area off kitchen will accommodate all your food storage. Two good size bedrooms with lots of closet space and a third room off kitchen can be used as an office or whatever is needed. This home also features a walk down basement which can handle a lot of your storage needs. Large private backyard has access to rear alley if more parking space is desired. Give us or your favorite agent a call today to see this charming home and make it yours.

Search all Montgomery AL Real Estate And Homes For Sale.

Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team have distinguished themselves as leaders in the Montgomery AL real estate market. Sandra assists buyers looking for Montgomery real estate for sale and aggressively markets Montgomery AL homes for sale. Sandra is also an expert in helping families avoid foreclosure through short sales and is committed to helping families in financial hardship find options. For more information you can visit AvoidForeclosureMontgomery.com.

Interested in buying a bank-owned home? Get bank-owned listings alerts FREE!

You can reach Sandra by filling out the online contact form below or give her a call anytime.

Displaying blog entries 121-130 of 170

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